If so, I’m ready to assist (you know, because I’m, like, so wild and crazy myself) with the perfect way to use the creamy, delicious homemade condensed soup. This. Creamy Chicken and Quinoa Cordon Bleu Casserole.

The name is long and even though quinoa somehow manages to make every dish sound fancy, in all actuality (no offense to fanciness) in this recipe, it is anything but.

I like to think of this as a modern day casserole. Not Your Momma’s Creamy Chicken Casserole, if you know what I mean. A tad bit upscale from the casseroles of my youth but just as simple and easy to prepare.

The dreamiest part of this recipe? The quinoa cooks right in the yummy, creamy sauce and absorbs all the delicious flavors so there’s no need to come prepared with already cooked quinoa (but you will need cooked chicken so perhaps you should just fire me right now for making things easier and harder all at once – good thing we have this easy shredded chicken recipe at our beck and call or at the very least, a rotisserie chicken from the store).

I’ve kind of been on a self-imposed hiatus from casseroles after a traumatic casserole event that occurred a few months ago (think: a curdled soupy mess of epic proportions) but let me tell you, this quinoa cordon bleu casserole has brought me back to my casserole-loving self. It’s creamy, cheesy, simple to prepare and wonderfully nutritious.

Because this is a one-dish wonder with the broccoli baked in, I served this simply with fresh fruit but breadsticks or another steamed or cooked vegetable (like these green beans) would also be delicious and completely appropriate, if you ask me.

Spread the mixture evenly in the prepared pan. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the casserole from the oven, uncover, and give it a good stir. Return to the oven and bake uncovered for about 12-14 more minutes.

While the casserole bakes, steam the broccoli (in the microwave or on the stovetop) until bright green and just barely crisp-tender. Stir the broccoli into the casserole, sprinkle the Parmesan cheese on top and bake for another 10 minutes until the quinoa is plump and tender and the edges are golden and bubbling.

Remove the casserole from the oven and let sit for 5-10 minutes before serving. This is really important as it will help the casserole to firm up and also make sure the quinoa is completely tender. Serve warm – don’t wait too terribly long to serve it as it gets less creamy the longer it sits.

Notes:

This casserole can be entirely prepped up to 12 hours (and probably longer; I made it the morning of) ahead of time. After spreading the quinoa mixture in the pan, cover and refrigerate. The steamed broccoli can also be refrigerated in a tupperware or bag to add during cooking time (same with the Parmesan cheese). Bake as directed.

Aso, if using a 9X13-inch baking pan, chances are you can get away with decreasing the baking time. I used a slightly smaller dish but since it’s a casserole, the size of pan is pretty adaptable. Just keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn’t overcook.

I’m in my first trimester and the thought of food makes my stomach flip. Except this. It immediately sounded tasty, and it did not disappoint! It is so hearty and filling too! Both my littles ate it up and my husband gave an unprompted rave review- pretty rare for him… usually half way through dinner I have to say “sooo…? what do you think?” It was just so yummy! And so easy! And such little cleanup! I might be making this weekly for the next month or two 🙂 thanks Mel, for yet another winner!

My whole family ate this up last week…Thanks Mel! PS…there is such a package of sliced ham without added nitrates. Brand is called “Never Any!” Just sayin since we have to avoid as much as possible for son prone to migraines.

I made this and it was fabulous. I couldn’t find quinoa at my little local grocery store but found it at Harmons in tons of variety. My first taste of quinoa. This was a winner recipe. Thanks for helping make dinner so good at our house!

Nope, the quinoa gets mixed in with all the other ingredients uncooked and then bakes in the oven. Make sure to rinse the quinoa really well – even if a bag says it’s prerinsed, I always rinse. It can have a pretty nasty aftertaste if not rinsed well. Good luck!

Hi Helen – I have considered it over the years but don’t know if/when I’ll actually implement based on a few issues. In the meantime, there are several free online nutritional calculators to use if you want the nutrition facts. I’m so happy you love the recipes – I hope that continues!

I’m excited to try making your condensed chicken soup recipe and using it in this recipe. I like the idea of being able to control the amount of salt in the soup, since canned soups are often very high in sodium.

Made it tonight…had everything on hand except swiss, so I used all cheddar and ommitted ham for now…tasty! I wanted to tell you that I made the sauce in the microwave instead of on the stove…worked great!

This makes me so happy! I love condon bleu, but was never quite sure how I wanted to adapt it to make it gluten free – plus also doing it all over again for my non-gf family. This will make my life so much easier, and I already have a gf condensed soup alternative.

I just used your homemade condensed soup recipe for a casserole to bake tonight. I had some leftover cooked chicken, some green beans, spinach and a tomato. Mixed it all together with three cheeses on top. I’m sure it will be wonderful. I’ve made white sauce in the past, and other homemade mixes but liked that your recipe had no added butter. I mixed my flour and milk together in a small jar and shook it well before adding it to the broth and seasonings. Worked like a charm.

Hi Mel! This looks amazing. So, do you have a special way you rinse and drain the quinoa? Do you already have a tutorial on this? This may be a very silly question, but I always make such a mess with it.

Since I’m attempting to give up red meat ( although I did make your broccoli and beef recipe this weekend) I’m trying new chicken recipes. This casserole sounds delicious, and I can’t wait to try it out on my family. Thanks again!